The present invention is directed to fluid barriers for medical dressings. More particularly, the invention is directed to a medical dressing having an outer barrier which is impervious to body fluids.
Recently there has been concern over the risk of contacting infectuous diseases such as AIDS through contact with tainted blood or other body fluids. Doctors, nurses, medical technicians and other persons in the health care field form a group which faces a particularly high risk of contacting such diseases. It is known, for example, that the AIDS virus, as well as other harmful bacteria and viruses, may be transmitted through contact with medical dressings, syringes, and the like, which bear contaminated blood or body fluids. Health care professionals may contact life-threatening diseases through contact with such items.
The risk of contacting potentially fatal diseases can be greatly reduced by providing bandages and dressings with a protective barrier impervious to blood and body fluids. Conventional gauze bandages and other dressings do not lessen the risk of infection posed to health care workers. When such absorbent dressings are placed over as wound, blood often penetrates the dressing. Health care workers treating a patient may then be exposed to bacteria and viruses through contact with the soiled dressing. Thus, there exists a need to provide additional protection to health care workers by limiting their potential for exposure to such bacteria and viruses.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a medical dressing having one side which is impervious to the passage of blood and other body fluids. Another object of the invention is to provide a fluid-impermeable material which may be adhesively secured to a conventional medical dressing. A further object of the invention is to provide a dressing or apparatus which is easily and safely handled. Other objects of the invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the present disclosure.